The present invention relates generally to surgical devices, and more particularly to microfabricated surgical devices for use in catheter-based interventional procedures.
Biological and surgical microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), useful for their ability to be placed into and easily maneuvered within a patient's body, are touted as the fastest growing area of micro-systems. For example, microcatheters are used in many medical applications for minimally invasive surgery. There are presently over one million surgical uses of catheters per year in the United States, representing a huge market.
As surgeons continue to adopt and perform advanced surgical procedures, the miniaturization of medical devices is taking place, allowing surgery with small external incisions and catheter-based microsurgical tools. With roots in laparoscopic surgery (entering the abdomen through the navel and small holes in the midsection), minimally invasive surgery can be performed by inserting catheters in the femoral artery at the base of a patient's thigh, navigating the blood vessels in the patient's body, and arriving at problem areas like the heart or brain. Once the distal tip of the catheter is precisely positioned inside the body, a microsurgical procedure like balloon angioplasty, stent placement, localized cauterization, or drug delivery can take place. With the reduced bodily reaction to microsurgery and the minimization of scar tissue, these procedures are highly preferred over more typical “macro” surgeries.